


When Roads Meet

by theonlineidofme



Series: The Diverging Emblems [2]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Twins, Child Soldiers, Dimension Travel, Don't copy to another site, Gen, Human Experimentation, Minor Injuries, Mutilation, New Game Plus Elements, Original Character Death(s), Serious Injuries, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:14:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24484903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theonlineidofme/pseuds/theonlineidofme
Summary: Life had been a slow march of time for Jeralt since he fled from Garreg Mach. He'd buried his old life in ashes, and raised his and Sitri's twin children all across Fódlan through mercenary work.The humdrum of mercenary life is shattered when the three end up in Sauin Village, and so begins their march towards a future with the awakening Fell Star.
Series: The Diverging Emblems [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1658494
Kudos: 5





	When Roads Meet

**Author's Note:**

> I really thought I would edit the second part of my Digimon series, but nope the Three Houses short fic that begins my FE3H AU took precedent.
> 
> Quick notes about the twins. Reus is the older twin, and Byleth is the one with the crest of flames. Reus isn't.....normal, and there's a smidge of discussion about what he might be if not fully human, but the real exploration of "not wholly human" comes much later in this particular set of stories.
> 
> As for the warnings. I don't think the violence is too graphic, but I think it's better to forewarn in case it's too much for some people. Because in some cases I describe enough that the blanks can be easily filled in. And some of the tags seem mildly overboard, but some stuff gets mentioned, or it briefly happens so...better over warned than not at all
> 
> Edit: I do not, and will likely never, own the rights to Fire Emblem, I just like to play here

Jeralt approached his twin children. They stood by the embers of last night’s fire. Reus picked up and blew some of the ashes from his hand with a laugh. Byleth tilted her head at him. She bent down and picked up some of the ashes. Reus shouted encouragement. She blew the ashes into both of their faces. As Byleth sneezed and Reus choked, Jeralt stepped behind them. Jeralt placed his hands over both his kids’ heads. Byleth barely reacted, as she glanced up and blinked, before throwing her gaze off into the distance. Reus grabbed Jeralt’s hands and whined.

“Dad, do you have to go?” Reus asked.

Reus’s grip was tight, tighter than Jeralt thought it ought to be for a eleven-year-old who didn’t have any special training. Byleth kept her gaze on the distance. She did that in situations most kids would cry or whine like Reus, so Jeralt thought it meant she was upset in her detached way. Jeralt breathed in sharply through his nose. It was all probably because of Rhea’s…

 _No time to dwell,_ Jeralt thought. _It’s in the past and we’re away from her._

“I can’t just ignore a job, kiddo.” Jeralt rubbed Reus’s head before pulling away.

He could, but that was bad for business. Besides, at eleven, Reus was only beginning to understand the nuances of mercenary work.

“It’s too dangerous for you and our merchant buddies to follow. You’ll be fine with Burchard and Mikael, you always are.”

Jeralt patted Byleth’s head. She pulled away from the horizon and watched him drop his arm to his side. He smiled at her, and she nodded. She took hold of Reus’ hand as he sniffed.

According to Rhea, Reus had been born first. He had no corroborating evidence to her word, but to the twins and for twinness in general, Jeralt thought, he didn’t think it really mattered. Not while they were still kids who had yet to take up apprenticeships anyway.

They would be fine. Reus grabbed his arm. Jeralt smiled, but pulled away. Reus wiped at his eyes, and Byleth watched with that ashen face his mercenaries so loved to comment on. He glanced down at their hands and saw Byleth gripped tighter than Reus.

 _Hearts don’t need to beat for there to be a soul,_ Jeralt thought. _I just have to remember that._

Jeralt pulled his eyes away from the pair. He met Mikael’s patient gaze. The two men nodded to each other.

“Well, I’ll leave these wild kids to you and Burchard,” Jeralt said. He laughed and glanced back at the twin.

“Dad! We’ll be good!” Reus protested.

Mikael and Jeralt laughed. Mikael’s curly brown hair bounced as the laughter shook the merchant’s whole body. Jeralt’s braid tickled his ear.

“Ah, they’re good kids, sir,” Mikael said. “This one especially.”

Mikael stepped up to the family and ruffled Reus’ hair. Reus huffed, but when Jeralt looked at him Reus had a smile on his face. Jeralt glanced at Byleth, who only blinked her teal eyes at her twin.

 _By Sothis,_ Jeralt thought. Physically his children were practically identical, but emotionally...

_He acts like a kid should, but she never has. Never even acted like a baby._

As they got older, Byleth had learned some body language - and speech - to communicate her needs, but when they were small Jeralt had to make his best guesses and rely on Reus, who was always so eager to help. He’d heard of some children who were just...different in behavior, but even then he felt like there should have been something more than a blinking face.

Jeralt glanced at the twins’ hands again. He sighed before focusing on Mikael again. Mikael beckoned the twins and Reus led Byleth over to the merchant cart. Mikael paused and turned back to Jeralt.

“Dangerous one, yeah?” Mikael started. “You and the others be alright. They’re led by the Blade Breaker, after all.”

Jeralt huffed. Perhaps he should have changed his name all those years ago...the church hadn’t hunted him down, and it was too late anyway.

“And I like not being cheated on for good weapons,” Jeralt said. Mikael waved his hand with a bright smile.

“Ah, you’re not a fool, Blade Breaker,” Mikael said.

Jeralt groaned, “I wish you would stop calling me that.”

“Won’t stop now, after so many years,” Mikael said. The shorter man stepped up and clapped Jeralt’s shoulder. “Be careful out there, Blade Breaker. Burchard and I would miss you, but we could find work elsewhere. But you can’t just leave those kids.”

Jeralt grinned. “This man is a dangerous mark, but we’ve managed, and I’ll never leave Reus and Byleth alone for long. Not until they ask me to, and even then…”

Mikael patted Jeralt’s arm. “Spoken like a true dad, Blade Breaker.”

Jeralt adjusted the shield on his back as Mikael walked to the twins and Burchard. Both men were short and stocky, but that is where their similarities ended. Mikael had brown, curly hair framing a slender face and Burchard had long, black hair pulled away from a square face. Jeralt looked away from the merchants and looked at his children.

Reus was helping to finish breaking camp, and dutifully followed orders with a smile. Byleth also helped, but she was careful and doing the chore on her own, and her expression never changed. She looked up, blinked at Jeralt, and lifted a hand. Jeralt smiled, lifted a hand, and then called out a final farewell.

He finally turned away from the remnants of camp, climbed onto his horse, and joined the rest of his small band of warriors. Jeralt followed the rickety path into the woods and closer to the base of Leicester’s Oghma Mountains. Jeralt warily looked around. The forest was bright, and grew brighter as the sun rose. The animals were skittish, and he only caught a glimpse before they became a blur darting in the distance. Sometimes, one would be large enough that he began to shield himself, but an attack never came.

The man they pursued was somewhere ahead of them, and since he knew he was being followed, Jeralt suspected there would be traps. The guy was clever. He’d left hunter’s traps on the road before they had made camp, as well as some more dangerous ones. Jeralt grimaced as he remembered the new recruit in the pit, bloodied and dead. The work of a rogue knight who defected from some noble house in the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus.

 _At least it wasn’t something related to Garreg Mach and Rhea,_ Jeralt thought. _More than ten years and so far I’ve managed to avoid them. Even with everyone still calling me Blade Breaker…_

The mercenaries continued down the path, and nothing changed. Hours passed, and nothing changed. Then a scout returned.

“Jeralt!” The young woman shouted.

Jeralt halted his horse, and heard the others do the same. None stood or sat as straight as Jeralt did waiting for the report, since none of them had official training as a military unit.

“The village ahead reported that a man wearing the colors and emblems of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus passed through,” she said. “He was alone. No one saw him leave, but they last saw him staying just outside of the village.”

“Thank you, Melisende,” Jeralt said. He turned to the other mercenaries.

They were a small band. Him, Melisende, and four others. They had been larger a couple of years ago, but many had retired or found better work or died. In fact, there had been five just three days ago, but that poor recruit…

Jeralt looked over all of them. They all gave him fierce stares. Jeralt made gestures, and even as his soldiers obeyed he still verbalized the commands.

“We’ll split up. Melisende, take Elric and Elena with you and search out the forest. Seek out the knight, traps, any allies in waiting. Watch our backs. Achard, Jason, with me to this village. We’ll press on and find this knight.”

“Yes sir!” Everyone echoed.

Elric and Elena were foot soldiers and could traverse more quickly with Melisende, who was also on foot, to search away from the path. In fact, Jeralt often swapped them all out as scouts.

Sir Alwin of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus was their target today. Jeralt didn’t know the details - he didn’t want to know, didn’t want to question the job too much and get ire from noble patrons and catch Rhea’s attention - but Sir Alwin had defected and the Kingdom wanted the man back. Preferably alive, but as that Baron Dominic said, “he is a formidable foe, your pay will not be docked if he is…killed in the pursuit.”

Baron Dominic has said those words with disdain, so Jeralt knew death was the last option for the nobles. But fighting is fighting, and Jeralt couldn’t guarantee a clean capture.

 _Just need proof we found him,_ Jeralt thought.

The forest did not naturally thin out, but in about a mile Jeralt and his companions found their horses amongst a field of grain. Jeralt hummed and saw that there was a path they had been following, but someone had grown their crop over part of it.

In fact, the path had been rather rough for the past few miles…

Jeralt guided his horse out of the field, glimpsed Achard and Jason doing the same, and found a path well-worn by carts and some sort of hauling animal, or maybe people since the groves were mostly from the wheels.

As they left the fields, Jeralt finally saw old, wood homes. The mountains rose steeply above them, and Jeralt knew it was mainly villages in this part of the Alliance. Neither the Leicester nor Faerghus nobles were too interested in the territory, as it wasn’t an easily defensible position and was more middling in terms of production of crops and woodland hunting grounds. Further to the west, in the proper portion of the mountains, there was more bountiful land.

The village was quiet. It was warm even as a summer breeze blew in. The houses were short and compact, and animals roamed the streets alongside them and fresh game was carried on the backs of some of the villagers. At a glance, Jeralt saw older farmers and hunters, and very few children. There was one child that watched them. Jeralt guessed that this child was about Byleth and Reus’ age, not much older or younger. They had bright red hair and their lean build showed a child used to work, but not yet in puberty and so not yet in a strong body. Jeralt gave a nod and turned away.

“Sir Jeralt?” Jason asked. Jeralt tilted his head to let Jason know he was listening. “Should one of stay behind in the village? Sir Alwin may be hiding here, or nearby, and if he sees us before our search parties do…well. He may run where we aren’t, or he may pursue us unexpectedly.”

“A good point, Jason.” Jeralt rubbed his chin. “Achard, you stay behind.”

“Understood, Eisner.” Achard turned his horse and pressed his leather helmet tighter against his head.

Jeralt turned his horse around and Jason followed. Achard likely was dismounting and going to get his own feel of the village. Melisende had spoken with the farmers and hunters nd whoever else resided her before, but they had split up before she could give a proper report.

Jason came alongside Jeralt as the pair re-entered the forest. On this side of the village, while the trees were closer to the home, the forest was thinner. There was less undergrowth, and Jeralt saw timber trails leading towards their right. Jeralt paused at a smaller, thinner path and dismounted. He grabbed his lance and hefted it over his shoulder. There were footprints and broken branches, and he bent down. The ground was damp from a recent rain, so the footprints were likely fresh.

But were they a hunter’s or their target’s?

Jeralt followed the path. The forest was working to reclaim it, as the little bushes and undergrowth this side of the forest had reached out to grab this trail. The branches thickened. Jeralt snapped a few as he went. Then he saw a scrap of a blue overcoat.

“Hmm, looks like it’s the Kingdom blue,” he said. He turned to see that Jason had followed him. “Let’s go.”

“Understood, Sir Jeralt.” Jason tightened his grip on his axe..

Jeralt crouched low and readied his spear as he walked forward. He tensed and listened. Rustling leaves. To the left.

Jeralt spun on his feet and stabbed towards the knight.

He saw Jason fall with a sword in his neck. Jeralt felt an ankle twist as he spun faster to face the knight. The knight kicked the dying Jason aside as he swung the sword at Jeralt.

Jeralt felt his crest warm his veins and his spear made contact with the knight’s face. Jeralt choked as the knight’s sword embedded itself into his side.

* * *

“Mikael?” Reus asked. “How long will we be staying at our next camp?”

Burchard sat on the cart of wares behind Reus and Mikael. Byleth was beside Burchard and the wagon. Reus looked up to Mikael, who walked with longer strides than Reus. Reus had to almost run to keep up.

Mikael laughed, “We’ll be staying at inns this time around, Reus. We will have to set up camp in a few hours...but only the one.” He glanced back at Reus. “And we’re going back into the Kingdom. We agreed that we would meet on the other side of the mountains, in Charon territory. We’ll stay in a village near the mountains, and when they finish the job, we’ll all be reunited.”

Reus hummed as he looked around at the darkening sky. The sun was setting, and the woods were getting thicker as the mountain loomed higher.

“It will be another few hours until we reach the mountain pass we came through before,” Burchard said. “We might need to pull off for camp soon. Jeralt should have left us behind before at the mountain pass.”

“Well, that knight was a lot closer before we lost him in the mountain pass, and Jeralt didn’t want to leave us in that storm”

“Won’t dad catch this…knight before we get through the mountains?” Reus asked.

He glanced back at Burchard. He stumbled over a rock, but caught himself. Mikael patted his arm after leaning over to check on Reus. Mikael patted his head and they continued on.

“He may,” Burchard answered from behind them. Reus slowed down, and the mule pulling the wagon lowered its chin against his head. “But we still should head back, and it’s safer for you two if they’re transporting the - ”

“Some jobs just take longer, you’ve stayed behind at inns or with servants in estates before,” Mikael interrupted.

Reus hummed again, and quickened his pace to catch up with Mikael. He glanced at Byleth, but she was staring into the forest, not straight ahead on the path.

“Yes,” Burchard affirmed. “But while we’re back the two of you can be out of harm’s way, and Mikael and I can resume business dealings and get that new armor your dad’s been asking for, maybe some training swords for the two of you.”

Reus glanced back at Byleth. She had stopped and was several feet behind them. She was looking around them. The forest had gotten even darker during the conversation.

The moon loomed high, lighting the path through the trees. Reus saw his bangs brighten to that glow-y green color. He reached up to touch his hair.

There was a buzzing in his ears. A noise. Many noises, no a feeling. He felt it in his teeth and underneath his skin like a big itch.

“Byleth?” Reus asked. He started walking towards her.

Mikael and Burchard shouted. Shadows burst out of the trees. Moonlight flickered off of their sickly faces. One of the attackers slammed into Reus.

Reus yelled and bared his teeth. Hot anger and fear gurgled in his stomach. The attacker’s hand reached for his face, and Reus bit it. He tasted blood as the hand tore and broke. Reus scrambled away and tripped. He puked before shoving himself up.

Someone grabbed him, whispering a curse laced with magic. Reus threw himself back, and he heard bones crack in the new attacker.

 _That didn’t sound good,_ Reus thought as panic began to replace the anger.

Magic smashed into his head. Reus gasped. He reached out, and the moon tilted above him.

It was dark, and scary, and -

And -

“Dad!” Reus screamed. He gasped before he fell to the ground. “B - “

His jaw locked, and then he was dreaming of darkness.

* * *

Jeralt winced as he pressed a hand to his side. He had slung the body of the knight - Sir Alwin, he recognized him even with age from visits to Garreg Mach - and also Jason’s body over both horses.

Jeralt stumbled to his knees when he re-entered the edge of town. He groaned. His horse nuzzled the back of his head.

Some of the villagers approached. It was dark. Jeralt’s head swam.

“Mister are you okay?”

“Eisner! Jason? Oh sh - “

Achard was there. Jeralt focused on him. Achard pulled Jeralt up. The voices began to blur together.

Jeralt was unsure if he was about to pass out, or if his mind was trying to lessen the pain. He gripped Achard tight and vaguely knew they were walking. The villagers slowly dispersed as a bald man appeared in Jeralt’s vision.

“Inside,” Jeralt heard.

And then his mind flickered out to blurs and almost dreams.

* * *

Reus woke up inside of a bag. His whole body ached, and he smelled magic (“smell magic?” his father had once asked, but Reus had no answers, he could just…feel it, all over, and if it was strong it sat in his nose) rolling off of him. He moved, and felt cold metal around his wrists and ankles. He breathed and tasted a rag in his mouth. He struggled in the bag and to spit out the rag.

The metal creaked, and burned.

 _Magic, it’s magic,_ Reus thought. His bones ached.

“So you’re awake.” Someone grabbed the bag. “The spell was stronger than anticipated.”

The bag loosened around Reus. The stranger grabbed his bound ankles and dragged him out. The room was dark, and the wood underneath Reus was rough.  
Reus rolled onto his back. He tried again to spit the rag out, but he swallowed some of it. He choked and tears streamed down his face.

“Can’t have you dying on us.”

The stranger stepped up and pulled the rag out. Reus heaved, and sucked in air, and he cried some more.

Then, the figure loomed over Reus. There was a snap of a finger. Reus flinched, waiting for the magical blow, but then the room lit up. An eerie purple light emanated around the walls.

“A neat trick, if I do say so myself.” The figure leaned closer. “Now what are you?”

A finger stroked the pointed tip of Reus’s left ear. Reus swallowed and stared up at the stranger. They had pale, purply skin (Reus wondered if it was because of the strange, surely magical, lights), bright red hair and incredibly red eyes. Their hair, long and pulled back, was the only natural feature Reus recognized.

The hands moved from Reus’s ears to his hair, and he heard a mutter about changing colors. As the fingers moved to his mouth, Reus finally found his words.

“What are _you_? His voice cracked at the end.

The figure grabbed the front of Reus’s shirt. Reus was pulled up. He was almost standing, but he was leaning against the stranger.

“Someone who has contemplated my role in the Dark,” they said. “And what we may have done with you.”

“I don’t - ” Reus gasped as he was dropped.

The stranger released him. Light glinted off a blade. The figure slammed Reus down, holding his head against the floor. He struggled, but magic burned against his skin and the metal was so tight.

“So young. So weak. Are you a lost Nabatean, or did we make you? It doesn’t matter, for I will atone for the lost children of Sauin. You will be unmarred and walk amongst the Beasts again.”

And Reus’s kidnapper dashed the blade over the top of Reus’s ear. He screamed. He pulled at his bounds, which began to creak.

The stranger then cut the tip of his other ear.

Reus roared. His skin blistered and burned, and then magic smashed into his face. Reus gasped as purple flames obscured his vision.

“Little Nabatean,” the stranger said. “Do not forget the Agarthans.”

And then there was a coldness in the room, and finally it plunged into darkness again.

* * *

Byleth sat on the branches of a tree. There had been attackers. She’d ducked under the cart before dashing into the woods. She’d skittered up a tree before the attackers could decided to grab her. They’d either not known she was up here, or decided she wasn’t worth it.

Everyone else was probably dead. The idea that they were made her chest feel…heavy. It was uncomfortable. The enemies had pulled back into the woods and there’d been glimmers of magic fire.

She needed to find Reus. She’d left him to the pale hands with magic. She’d left him to die. She didn’t like the feeling in her chest.

Byleth had hid from these bandits - father always talked about bandits in the woods, people who attacked people for money that jingled in pockets - but these bandits had lots of magic. If only father and the mercenaries were here.

_“ - follow - flowers - “_

Byleth looked up and around. The branches were bare. The moon was high in the sky. And there weren’t even any animals Byleth could see on the ground.

A glimmer on the next tree. There was a warrior, glimmering in purple haze, and with white flowers in their hands.

The pair locked eyes. Something new burbled in Byleth’s chest. It was not the heaviness of the missing Reus, of the dead merchants, it was…

“Byleth,” they both said. Byleth blinked. The warrior dashed through the branches, leaving a trail of hazy flowers.

Byleth followed the warrior. The adult - Byleth felt a stirring inside. Her body warmed and her stride lengthened. Jumping from branch to branch became easy as if she had always done this. She landed on each flower, which were placed on the most secure spots in the trees for the leaping and landing.

Finally, there was a pause. The warrior sat on a branch. She held a finger to her lips. Byleth nodded, and saw firelight past the next couple of trees.

The warrior gave a slight smile.

_“Trust me?”_

She extended a hand. The haze seemed grow stronger, and her dark green hair fell over her shoulder.

“I want to…save…” Byleth opened and closed her hands. Her body grew hot as the heaviness grew heavier in her chest.

_“Reus.”_

The warrior leaned forward, and Byleth fell into the haze.

She and the warrior were in a foggy place. Flowers piled the ground up to their knees. Byleth heard voices from all around them, but not well enough to understand what was being said.

“I shall lead this battle,” the warrior said. Byleth nodded, and the haze lifted. Byleth watched through her own eyes again, but she was not in control.

Byleth had only ever done practice battles with wood, but the mind and soul of this warrior used her crest to fight. Byleth lost herself to the blur fighting, of small fire brushing, of stealing a sword, and so much blood.

Fire burned in Byleth’s belly. As the fighting continued she saw haze around herself, recognized the warrior fighting, leading her in these movements.

And then it was over. Byleth panted, her limbs trembled.

The foggy world returned.

The warrior bent down before Byleth.

“I hope we meet again, Byleth,” she said. “But that depends on where you take your path.

The world hummed, and instead of the foggy world, Byleth found herself in a dark, dream world with a stone throne and -

She found herself in the foggy world again. The warrior gave a small smile.

“Whether it is me, or another who is not the current you, you may call me Beres.”

Beres walked into the fog, and Byleth blinked. She was standing amongst the corpses of the pale bandits. She looked around. Her body and mind hurt, but Beres…

She knew Beres, and Beres knew her, because Beres was…

An image in the dark. Byleth blinked. Had Beers returned? Byleth walked towards the flicker, and then saw a young girl with different green hair, and then she vanished. And there was a door in the ground.

And soft crying.

Byleth grabbed at the door and pulled. Everything in her ached, but maybe this was -

A glow in her eyes. Fire on her tongue. And then the door fell in, and Byleth fell into the darkness.

Byleth tumbled down stone stairs and landed in a room glowing purple. She saw dark tunnels leading away, but in the middle of the floor was a small boy.

“Reus?”

Byleth pulled herself up and limped to the figure. They looked up, and even with the purple haze Byleth recognized the teary face. He held his ears and he choked on his breath.

“Reus, let’s leave.” She extended a hand once she stood before him.

Reus shook and tears rolled down his face. His hands were dark. Byleth grabbed his arm.

“Reus?” she asked.

“It hurts. Where’s Mikael? Where’s dad? What…” his eyes went wide. “Are - are you hurt?”

Byleth blinked at Reus. She pulled one of his arms away from his head. She saw blood on the side of his head. Something gurgled within, harder than the fire from before.

“I killed them,” Byleth blurted. Her body and Beres, the woman she would…no, maybe? Byleth’s head hurt a bit. “They took you and I killed them. Let’s find father.”

Byleth pulled Reus up. He shook and cried, but there was no protest. She led him up the stairs, over the carnage, and into the dark woods.

Jeralt woke to the man he vaguely remembered calling his name. As Jeralt focused, the man repeated his words.

“Jeralt Eisner,” he said. “Do you have children?”

Jeralt frowned. “Yes. Are they alright? I left them with - ”

“They showed up in town,” the man said. Jeralt should remember his name, that surely came up. “I think they were attacked by bandits, your daughter said they were looking for Jeralt Eisner. I’ll bring them in.”

Jeralt pushed himself up. His side ached, but the magic of the priest had been strong. Had it been a priest, it must have because -

 _Focus,_ Jeralt thought.

The room was still dark. The sun hadn’t penetrated the trees enough to light the room fully. There was a single candle on the bedside table.

 _What happened?_ Jeralt wondered. _Thank Sothis Byleth and Reus are alright…but where are -_

The door opened and an older woman entered. She led a crying Reus in.

“Reus!” Jeralt said. “What - ”

Reus ran over and pressed his face against Jeralt’s chest. Jeralt winced, and then saw bandages on Reus’s ears.

“Someone cut them,” the woman said. “We did what we could, and the damage seems slight, but…”

 _The points,_ Jeralt thought. He touched the ends of Reus’s ears, but pulled away when Reus flinched.

“Thank you,” Jeralt said. “But what of - ”

“She’s uninjured but was…quite dirty.” The woman looked away and then departed.

Jeralt didn’t think and he suddenly pulled Reus fully into his lap. Pain seared through him. Jeralt grunted as Reus collapsed into his chest. His son’s sobs quieted, and Jeralt ran his hands through Reus’s hair. Reus mumbled into Jeralt’s chest.

“What?” Jeralt peered down at Reus. Reus looked at him with big watery eyes.

“Byleth killed the people who attacked us.”

 _Oh no,_ Jeralt thought. _Mikael and Burchard must be…wait. Wait, how did Byleth…no. Focus. On Reus. Focus on him._

“You can go to sleep now,” Jeralt said. “You’re safe now.” Jeralt resumed stroking Reus’s head.

“Don’t leave us again,” Reus sighed. He pressed himself more into Jeralt’s chest. Her fingers wrapped around the borrowed shirt Jeralt wore. Jeralt ignored the pain as Reus fell asleep.

 _I won’t,_ Jeralt thought.

Jeralt felt sleep returning to him as the door opened again. Then slumber took him.

* * *

The sun woke Reus up. His ears twitched and pricks of pain caused him to wince. Reus gasped as his chest tightened. Tears burned in his eyes.

He was safe, why was he crying, he was with dad, he’d been sleeping, but his ears…

The one who hurt him was still out there.

“Reus?”

Reus looked up. He pulled himself from his dad’s grasp. Dad grunted, but he did not wake. Reus met Byleth’s eyes. He shivered under his sister’s gaze. Byleth stood near the window. The sun lit up her eyes as it fell into the room. He remembered how hot and sticky her hands had been when she pulled him out of that place. How the ground was full of, full of…

Reus’s chest shook and he shoved a hand in his mouth so he wouldn’t wail. Or puke.

“Reus?” Byleth asked.

Reus’s fingers hurt and he sighed and bit down harder. Byleth was soon at the side of the bed, and her face was near Reus’s. Her eyes still seemed to shimmer.

Reus hiccuped. Byleth’s small arms wrapped around her brother. Reus leaned into her and while he sobbed, she was still, calm.

Byleth was frightening in a way the mercenaries never had been, but she was still Byleth…Reus wanted her to still be Byleth, even as his gut recoiled in fear.

* * *

Jeralt liked Sauin Village. The village had been accommodating during the two days they had been here so far. They’d even invited Reus and Byleth to play with the few children in the village. They refused to leave Jeralt’s side and today was the first day Jeralt had forced himself out of bed.

Unfortunately, his mercenary group had imploded, everyone wished him well but his healing would take too long for the jobs they had. So he let them choose a new leader and leave him and the kids behind, but he could rebuild it once he was healed.

They buried Burchard, Mikael, Jason, and Sir Alwin in the woods. Achard had taken Jason’s personal effects and headed deeper into Gloucester territory. The others had departed to report to Baron Dominic.

 _Maybe I should set up roots here,_ Jeralt thought. _Actually change my name, be a farmer, might be good for the kids._

Jeralt sat himself in front of the village elder’s - Dan, he was called Elder Dan even though he didn’t seem elderly - home. Byleth and Reus sat nearby. Byleth was watching the horizon with a blank stare, and Reus kept behind the both of them. He flinched whenever there was a loud noise. Jeralt frowned.

 _We’re dead to the Church,_ Jeralt reminded himself. _And if we lived here, they’d never worry for accidental discovery. Though there's no tavern.  
_

There had been the issue with the bandits, as Byleth called them. The merchant cart had not been looted. They’d hurt Reus - Jeralt felt his body shiver with rage at the thought - and then Byleth had…

 _Goddess,_ Jeralt thought. _How the fuck does a kid pull of what she did?_

“Hello Mister!” Jeralt looked up and saw a small, red-headed child. They grinned through a face covered in dirt.

“Hello,” Jeralt greeted.

This child had been introduced, but Jeralt didn’t remember important details right now. They’d been the only one close to the twins’ age, though. The others had been significantly younger and two had been practically adults.

 _What happened to the kids?_ Jeralt thought.

“I’m Leonie.” Leonie turned to Byleth and Reus then. “Will you play with me, I can show you all sorts of games!”

Byleth pulled her gaze to Leonie. Reus made a noise.

“Go on,” Jeralt said. “I’ll be right here if you need to come back.”

Leonie grinned and extended her hands. Byleth took it first, and with visible dread Reus followed. Leonie pulled them up and they ran off to the outskirts of town.

Jeralt shifted his weight. It still hurt, but he could take a hit in battle. It was harder than….when he’d first been joined the church, after the incident, but…

Jeralt shook his head. There was no use thinking on the past. He’d burned it all in his escape from Garreg Mach Monastery.

* * *

Leonie had new friends! It had taken a couple of days, and Byleth still didn’t totally get the games, but they played with her!

Leonie missed having playmates that could be rough, and actually wanted to play.

“Like I showed you,” Reus said. Leonie thought he was going to laugh, but he smiled. “Cover your eyes.”

Byleth nodded and did so. “Now what?”

“We hide!” Leonie said. “We won’t go far. Promise.”

It was less fun, but it was even less fun for Reus to cry or for Byleth to get…angry? Leonie wasn’t sure how to understand the other girl, but she didn’t like them being far away. Elder Dan said bad things happened in the woods to them. Leonie assumed the bad people were back. She shivered.

Byleth began to count, and Leonie and Reus darted off.

* * *

Byleth wanted to see Beres again, but she liked Leonie. She was loud, but nice. Reus liked her too, so Byleth definitely liked Leonie.

Byleth hoped Beres would appear in her dreams, since a girl Byleth didn’t know appeared there. So far, no luck.

It was dark, with stairs, and the girl with a mane of green hair at the top.

Byleth forced herself through the darkness to climb. It was dream, she could do anything. She became a warrior fighting bloody battles in her other dream.

And Beres had once actually fought through her _without_ Byleth dreaming.

Byleth climbed until she reached the top. The other girl was curled on the stone. Byleth sat on her knees, her nose almost touching the other girl. Byleth prodded a cheek.

And the girl’s eyes opened, and Byleth woke up.

* * *

The morning was cool. There were clouds in the distance promising rain. Jeralt waved at the trio as they ran off in a new direction in Sauin Village.

“Sir Jeralt?”

Jeralt looked up from his resting place on the ground and nodded his head at Elder Dan. The man was probably in his late forties, and Jeralt suspected he was rather new to his position. Or perhaps he was totally off the mark and Elder Dan was actually elderly. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“How can I help you, Elder Dan?”

Elder Dan looked around before coming up beside Jeralt. Jeralt frowned.

“I would like to ask you a favor,” Elder Dan said. “I’m sure you’ve noticed the lack of…Leonie’s peers.”

“I have.”

And then Elder Dan began a tale. Several years ago, strange people appeared in the forest. Elder Dan’s predecessor merely thought them bandits and there were attempts to drive them out with little success. They would think they had succeeded, and then there would be reports of strangely dressed people again. Their lord stopped sending soldiers after the first two failures. Count Gloucester had other priorities.

“How were these bandits strange?” Jeralt asked. He’d rolled his eyes about Gloucester. The man was infamous for being a social climber, but many Alliance members were.

“Dark cloaks,” Elder Dan said. “The material was not anything we wear here, or on any merchants or soldiers who’ve come this way. And they were all so very pale.”

Elder Dan continued how an uneasy peace followed, where these strange folk would flee at the sight of the villagers and the forest began to feel wrong. Then the children began disappearing. One or three would disappear in a month. Eventually, monsters and bodies were found in the woods. Their militia was destroyed trying to fight back against one nasty monster attack.

“And my predecessor was killed,” Elder Dan said. “And it was a scramble to replace her with those who were in line dying or leaving the village.”

“I assume this all stopped,” Jeralt said. “Or are you wanting me to gather a band of fighters to deal - ”

“I don’t know if they’re gone,” Elder Dan said. “It’s been two years since the last child was taken, though the incident with your son raises some hairs. But there were no monsters this time. No other children taken.”

Jeralt grunted, but his heart tensed. Reus could have been turned into a monster. And Byleth had become one to defend her brother.

“I did, however,” Elder Dan said. “Want to ask you, when you leave, to take Leonie.”

“…Excuse me?” Jeralt peered down at Elder Dan with a slack jawed expression. “Take her with me? What about her parents?”

“Her mother works in the Gloucester estate, and her father is a hunter who spends more time hunting than at home. Her older sisters are married, and the younger siblings are…gone, as well as close relatives. It would…be safer I think. Or maybe she would just be happier.”

Elder Dan looked down and clasped his hands. Jeralt blinked, sighed, and then nodded.

“I can…take her own as an apprentice,” Jeralt said. “It can be like a squireship, but for mercenary work. I will only do it if she and her parents agree.”

“Her father will, he will be back this evening,” Elder Dan said. “Go on and talk with the children.”

“And here I was thinking of abandoning mercenary work.”

Elder Dan laughed. “You still could. I…this is a personal favor. Her uncle was a dear friend of mine. I think Sauin Village will recover, but I want…more for Leonie first. She can always come home.”

Elder Dan patted Jeralt’s arm. He then walked away, his head gleaming in the light. Jeralt groaned, rubbed his nose, and started heading back to the center of town.

_Goddess, what have I gotten myself into._

* * *

“I think she can hear us,” Byleth said as she stared at wood wall. “But she only stares at me.”

Byleth tilted her head at the girl only she could see.

“We should name her!” Leonie proclaimed. “I don’t know any good names…”

She kicked at the dirt. Reus blinked at the blank space. There was a buzzing in his teeth, and he was sure there was someone there.

 _A ghost?_ Reus thought. _Do ghosts only appear to one person?_

“What’s your name?” Byleth asked the invisible ghost. She tilted her head. “She’s still not speaking.”

“Why don’t we, uh…” Reus trailed off as he saw a shadow approaching. He tensed, and his throat tightened.

Byleth turned with her fists before relaxing.

 _Someone we know,_ Reus thought, and he turned.

It was dad.

“Hey kiddos,” he said. He ruffled Reus’ hair, then Byleth’s and then paused at Leonie.

Leonie grinned up at him. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her head.

“Me too!”

Dad chuckled and ruffled Leonie’s hair. He moved it and crouched down to be at their eye level.

“Hey, I have a question.” They gathered around him. “Leonie, how would you feel about being my apprentice?”

Byleth blinked, Reus gasped, and Leonie…Leonie froze and then squealed in childish delight.

“I’ll become the next Blade Breaker!”

She threw herself in Jeralt’s arms. He grunted, and Reus heard him muttering about this being easy. Reus frowned, but met Byleth’s gaze before she turned back to the invisible ghost.

Reus stared, and stared, and saw the air shift. Pointy ears, a mane of green, ribbons, and there was a meeting of eyes before the ghost disappeared. Reus turned away with a gasp. Byleth was still staring. The girl was still there.

 _Who is she?_ Reus wondered.

Dad prodded at his arm. Reus turned back to him and took Jeralt’s hand. They started walking to Leonie’s as she chattered away. Reus grabbed Byleth’s arm.

It would be a few more weeks for Jeralt to fully recover, for everyone to familiarize themselves with each other, and then for Sauin Village to be left behind.


End file.
